The surname Mortain is a habitation name; derived from one of several places so named in England and Scotland. The place name was made up of the Old English elements "morr," meaning "marsh, or moor," and "tun," meaning en enclosure or settlement.

Early Origins of the Mortain family

The surname Mortain was first found in Wiltshire, where a Robert de Mortone was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for that county in 1130. As this name was formed from several different place names, entirely different lines of the Mortain surname arose throughout Britain. Other early records of the name include: William de Morton, on record in 1218 in the Feet of Fines for Oxford; and Thomas Morton, on record in the Feet of Fines for Surrey in 1432-33. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) Another source states: "Cardinal Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor, temp. Henry Vii., was probably a descendant of the Norman knight. " [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print. Over in Lache-Dennis, Cheshire another early record of the family was found. "Ancient records mention a manor of Lach-Dennis or Lach-Park, near Rudheath, which, in the reign of Edward II., belonged to the Moreton family." [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Early Notables of the Mortain family (pre 1700)

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Morton (c.1420-1500), English prelate, statesman, and Archbishop of Canterbury (1486-1500); and Sir George Morton, 1st Baronet (died 1662), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1626, supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War... Another 125 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mortain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mortain family to Ireland

Some of the Mortain family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mortain family to the New World and Oceana

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Morton (1622-47), English trader and adventurer in New England, who was in charge of the Merry Mount settlement, which came into conflict with the Plymouth settlers.